37. He Exemplifies Contradiction
Shiva continually shifts back and forth between extremes. Sometimes, he is a hedonist who cannot seem to get enough pleasure for himself. At other times, the god is an ascetic to abstains from all desires. He both avenges people and shepherds their souls. He has wild passions that are untamed, leading him to acts of destruction that often seem to be arbitrary and futile. However, he is often depicted as being tranquil and serene, usually meditating in a lotus position.
